Variation in Native Speaker Speech Modification to Non-Native Speakers
- 1 February 1985
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in Studies in Second Language Acquisition
- Vol. 7 (1) , 37-57
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s0272263100005143
Abstract
This study builds upon prior research dealing with the nature of discourse involving non-native speakers. In particular, we examine variables influencing native speaker foreigner talk and the form that speech modification takes. The data bases are (1) 80 taped telephone interviews between NNSs at two distinct proficiency levels, (interviewer) and NSs (interviewee), and (2) 20 NS-NS interviews. We consider five variables: 1) negotiation of meaning, 2) quantity of speech, 3) amount of repair (following a specific NNS request for repair), 4) elaborated responses, and 5) transparent responses. We find that the speech of NSs changes as a function of an NNS's ability to understand and be understood. We further suggest a general cognitive principle—transparency—underlying aspects of both foreigner talk and second language acquisition.Keywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- The concept of phonological form and the activities of speech production and speech perceptionJournal of Phonetics, 1982